10 die in Lagos road accident, others wounded

About 10 people died on Friday at the Otedola Estate on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway when five vehicles, including a trailer, ran into some oil pipes, which were lying carelessly on the road.

The oil pipelines, which were four in number, fell off another trailer on Thursday night at about 9 pm. The trailer was moving on the outbound Lagos lane towards Ogun State.

An eyewitness said, “These pipes you see on the road fell off a trailer yesterday (Thursday) night. I think the cord used to bind the pipelines came undone as the trailer sped past, but the driver was well aware when the oil pipes started dropping off.

“Those of us who witnessed the incident thought the driver would stop immediately he noticed this, but he didn’t. He simply continued on his way. We also noticed that some policemen came around and tried to remove the pipes from the road.

“The police at first tried to push the pipes off the road, but they couldn’t because of the weight. I later learned that they radioed for assistance: that a crane was needed but no help came. That was how the pipes remained on the expressway till Friday morning when some vehicles crashed into it.”

SATURDAY PUNCH learnt that the trailer, with registration number XZ 437 MUS (Lagos), was the first vehicle to run into the oil pipes at about 6 am on Friday. Another eyewitness said, “There were two vehicles that were involved in a racing competition with the trailer shortly before the accident: a commercial 18-seater bus and a Mazda car.

“Since it was dark and visibility was poor, the trailer was the first vehicle that ran into the pipes, causing it to fall on its left side. As the trailer fell, the Mazda and commercial bus were on that same side at the time, trying to overtake it. Unfortunately for the occupants of both cars, the trailer fell on them, killing all the occupants.

“Another Honda car was coming behind unaware of what was going on in front until it was quite close. In a bid to avoid the spot, the driver swerved to the right side of the trailer and crashed into the gutter at the side of the road.”

A bus conductor told SATURDAY PUNCH that 14 people died in the accident. The Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Oluwafemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the crash. He said two people died, and at least nine injured. He said the accident occurred because some pipelines used to transport petroleum products fell off a trailer.

“A long vehicle was carrying pipes used to transport petroleum products. Somehow, these pipes fell off the truck and the driver ran away,” Oke-Osanyintolu said. “A trailer was coming with full speed and he rammed into the pipes. A commercial bus and a private car were also involved in the accident.”

Oke-Osanyintolu said that the nine injured victims were rushed to the hospital. He stated that while some were taken to an emergency clinic situated along the expressway, the others were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

SATURDAY PUNCH learnt that the initial accident that occurred on Thursday claimed the life of an unidentified couple.

A resident of Otedola Estate stated that when the big pipes fell off the trailer, the driver immediately fled.

He said, “When the pipes fell off the truck, the driver did not wait, he just sped off. Some people tried to get them off the road, but because of the weight of the pipes, they couldn’t.

“It seemed an impossible task because there was no light, the streetlight there was not working. They tried to call a towing vehicle or crane, but there was no luck so they gave up trying.”

A commercial motorcyclist who identified himself as Jerry said, “When I was coming from Ikorodu around 6 am, I saw this accident. At that time, there were two Lagos State Traffic Management Authority officials on the ground.”

SATURDAY PUNCH reporters saw all the vehicles involved in the accident at 8.30 am on Friday. They also saw a large towing truck parked at a corner, waiting to remove the vehicles.

The removal process lasted more than five hours, by which time the traffic situation on that section of the expressway had become chaotic. The traffic snarl spread to Marwa Gardens and Ikorodu Road, making commercial transporters to cash in on the situation by doubling their fares as commuters became stranded.

The traffic situation on the expressway remained chaotic till late Friday night.

The police, LASEMA, LASTMA and Civil Defence Corps personnel were controlling the heavy traffic caused by the accident. The personnel of the fire service got to the scene at 9 am. They went to work immediately.

About 30 minutes later, they carried away a vehicle with registration number XN 547 LSR. Eventually, at about 11.30 am, the Mazda and the 18-seater bus were removed from the scene.

One of the survivors, Pastor Yomi Adesanya, who drove an Opel car, gave a slightly different version of events. He said, “I had just finished buying fuel and was proceeding on my journey to Ijebu-Ode when I ran into the pipes on the road. This was about 6 am. There were three persons in my car, including myself, and none of us died. We only sustained minor injuries.

“A Lagos State Traffic Management Authority official that came to the scene told me that they had been battling for hours to get the pipes off the road since yester night. Unfortunately, there was no indication, nothing on the road to alert road users that there were huge pipes lying across the road. And this is an expressway.

“I also learnt some policemen were here yesterday night and they couldn’t remove them. Several vehicles had already run into the pipes before I got there; my car was the last. It was just as the Lagos State Ambulance Service bus was driving us away to the hospital that we saw the 18-seater bus with the trailer approaching.

“It seemed the driver wasn’t even looking at where he was going and by the time he saw pipes and tried to swerve, it was too late. The trailer driver hit my own car which had already crashed into the pipes. Fortunately, we were not in it.

“I can’t really say how many people died because all the occupants of the bus were trapped under the trailer. I know some of us were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, while others were taken to the LASAMB clinic at the old toll gate.”

Some eyewitnesses however put the death toll at 16.

Adesanya’s nephew, Tobi, 18, whose right arm was wrapped in bandage, said he couldn’t really recall what happened as he was in a state of shock. He said, “Everything happened so fast. I can’t say what caused the accident. I was at the back seat of my uncle’s car.”

Meanwhile, a few metres away, a trailer with registration number XM 263 AGL parked on the bridge. There were several huge pipes which were bound with cords on the deserted trailer. Some eyewitnesses claimed the driver of the trailer had hours earlier been stopped and arrested that same Friday morning by the police in an attempt to track down his colleague, who had done nothing to retrieve his pipes when they fell on Thursday night. The trailers were said to have taken off from the Apapa Ports.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Jaiyeoba, said two persons died and seven were injured.

The Public Relations of the NSCDC Mr. Sunday Eromosele, added, “Eyewitnesses told officials of NSCDC when they arrived on the scene that the total number of vehicles involved in the accident were 10, including the trailer. However, NSCDC officials met five vehicles at the scene, including the trailer. A total of nine persons were injured, while two persons were confirmed dead.”

The wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Ibikunle Amosun, expressed shock when she got to scene. Mrs. Amosun, who was travelling along the expressway, arrived there some minutes after it occurred.

In an emotion-laden voice, Mrs. Amosun said, “I’m shocked at the fatality of this accident. This is unfortunate. As a mother, I feel highly concerned. I’ve got in touch with the emergency response team to quickly come to the rescue of the people at the scene.”

A fatal accident caused by a trailer belonging to a popular cement manufacturing company had claimed 40 lives in front of Otedola Estate – near the spot of Friday’s incident – on Aug 15, 2010. The case is still undergoing an inquest.

wht do you mean end time is near? its pure carelessness on the part of the trailer driver and nothing more. you guys should stop attributing everything to end time God bla bla etc.

rufai peters

Are saying occurences like this are peculiar to Nigeria?Don’t you read international news, watch CNN, Euronews, Aljezeera etc?Either we like it or not the end is proximate.

Jats

True!…the Life of a NIgerian is the cheapest in the world. How on earth would pipes be left on the road overnight.. I think we are just not a serious set of people. And believe it or not nothing will happen to those responsible….sad!

Mont Christo

what has end time got to do with this??? the country sucks!!! the FRSC should have officers on night duty!!! Instead they are discussing new plate numbers and drivers license!!! It’s really sad..

peggy

i feel you.officers on night duty is even too far off.Are we tooo poor that we cant have functinal street lights?Nigeria sickens me,and those who make attempt to help are blocked.I hope we get there some day!

robbie

yes but what a useless and disorganized nation

Dapo

Unfortunately, no one will be held liable for this preventable loss of so many lives. Why did the policemen leave the scene when they were unsuccessful with initial retrieval of the pipes? Who did they hand over the responsibility to when they were leaving? Why was there no warning indicators? How could they have slept at night knowing that pipes on highway is a disaster waiting to happen? In sane countries, ministers would be sacked for such calamity. Shame on Nigeria? Only God knows who the next victim of the failed state would be….. Only Time will tell.

Maxwell King [Ghana]

Bus Condcutor said 14 people died but CEO of LASEMA said only 2 people died.So which one can we believe now.Nigerians and their discrepancy reportings

Bunmi

7 = 1 for some people, so, the conduction might have counted 14 truly and when you divide by 7 you get 2. Don’t take this as a mere joke o, when you relate with some people you know the implication of figure 7 in the spiritual word. May God save us from being ritual items in this country where evil speaks louder.

ade-xboy

Majority of these truck drivers are careless ,’commonise’ lives &since they are insured,drives with abandon.In an ideal system the cuprit should & be tracked to answer charges of negligence of duty of care

seekergolden

The absence of accountability is the occurrence of disaster… May God Almighty console the families and friends of the dead and grant the injured speedy recovery.

Ray

what a tragedy? what a country? this happened because of the carelessness and the irresponsibility of some people,beginning from the mad and reckless truck driver-to the policemen that saw the pipes and left almost immediately presumably because they were disappointed they didn’t meet the truck driver to pay cash for his carelessness.Another tragedy’s that all these people whose actions and inactions contributed to this avoidable lost of lives are going to go scot free. my heart sincerely go to the families of those that died in the accident

Omoniyi tunde

God pls open your eye of mercy upon us all.if its our sins that causes death toll everyday.pls we seek for forgiveness.

Okey Njoku

This is a case of collective irresponsibility. I’ve said it several times and I’ll keep on saying it, and I hope one day God will touch the mind of the government to make the appropriate law; unless truck drivers are made to pay for the lost of lives and property in Nigeria innocent people will continue to die like fowls. The next thing you will hear people saying it’s the will of God. And such statement irritates me because it’s profanning the Name of God.If the police could not lift the pipes, why couldn’t they put signs on the road to warn people. The whole thing looks silly and it’s heart breaking when innocent lives are cut off on circumstance that could have been avoided.

Umukoro E.J

Policemen who arrived the scene earlier on should have put on several bonfires on the road using disused tyres as a way of alerting other motorists. Moreover, when it is still dark motorists ought to be driving at controllable speed in case of emergencies such as this. The incident is quite unfortunate and regrettable.

I wt fed gvtmt 2 wk faster on ds comment,by take over vigilante group of nigeria bc’s d’re realy perfmg wel in any crime protest prevent.

Stevo 2k12 key of success

Sure!getready 4 d jugment,not only u but evbody is entitle 4 it.

Olanusi Akin,JOS

In a more sane society,d pipes would have been removed immediately it was noticed.Just imagine this happened around 9:00pm and d unfortunate accident took place at about 6:00am,yet we have d POLICE,FRSC,NEMA, LASMA,etc who are being paid.Nigeria! Can anythin work?

Ola

FRSC should be more forthcoming in occasions such as this . They should know it is their primary responsibility to prevent accidents on the highway and make it safe for road users, instead of merely engaging in cheap noise making and being pretentious always.

Kaycee

Sorry brother, FRSC is busy raking in extorted cash from new number plates. Guess that’s what they see as their primary responsibility.

John

Its a pity we don’t value human lives in Nigeria. I stay in UK and drive; each time anything happens on the road before you know it, the police are there and they will wait until it is moved with the light from their siren beaming to alert road users. Even if a car parks on the hard shoulder of a motorway they get there within minutes and the light keeps flashing until the recovery vehicle comes to tow the car away.
When is our administrators and government going to learn good things and not only siphoning the tax payers hard earned money

Sola

Where were the FRSC officials when these pipes fell off the trailer? Were there no signs that the police could have placed on the road to inform the on-coming drivers of these obstructions? Are they not paid to forestall incidents like this? When will Nigerians start to behave responsibly to prevent these senseless carnages on our highways? God pls have mercy on us all.

Ademola

When the authorities couldn’t get cranes to remove the pipes I believe they should have put something on the road to alert drivers. I perceive carelessness through and through. Now people are dead because people refuse to apply caution.

Segun

This information I am about to put is VALID 1000% cuz I was there. Its not about the casualties but the time of accident. It was Thursday night between 7-30pm – 9pm and not the next morning(FRIDAY), the pipes falling of and accident was all on Thursday Night.

JUST MUTIU,OSOGBO

Thanks Segun for shedding light on the time when the tragedy commenced.But,WITH DUE RESPECT, you and some other people that came across this “time bomb” before it exploded should have alerted those in authorities such as NEMA,LASEMA,FRSC,Police etc.Not that they might react POSITVELY but IT’D HAVE BEEN ON RECORD THAT YOU PERFORM YOUR CIVIC DUTY AND YOUR CONSCIENCE WOULD HAVE JUDGED YOU BETTER.For all of us,let STORE some numbers of people in charge of disaster managment.MAY THE BLOOD OF THOSE INNOCENT PEOPLE HAUNT THOSE INVOLVED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN THEIR DEATH.THANKS PUNCH FOR THE STORY.BUT THE STORY JUST BEGAN.FOLLOW UP THIS STORY AND LET THE CULPRITS(THE TANKER DRIVER/OWNER,THOSE POLICEMEN,FRSC MEN THAT OUGHT TO BE ON PATROL THAT NIGHT ETC)BE BROUGHT TO BOOK.AS I’M WRITING THIS OR YOU ARE READING THE STORY,SOMEONE CLOSE TO US MAY BE AMONG THE VICTIMS!WE SHOULD FIND SOLUTION TO THIS UNNECESSARY BLOOD LETTING!
JUST MUTIU,OSOGBO

Kyriel Alam-Hajim Ezeugoh

A lot of negligence and carelessness have contributed a lot of untimely deaths! At the end of the day! “who is to blamed? “The government”, Where is the FRSC? But why! Who is the government?

I wonder the duty of road safety corp in this country. They are more interested in booking motorists who have no fire extinguisher or driving lincence. The police that got there first ought to call them and let them come to do their job. Permit me to say that they wouldn’t come even if the police had called them. Their only duty on the road today is to check trafick offenders; removing obstacles from the road is not part of road safety duty.

segun

people just die for no reason in nigeria…how the hell can they leave the pipes on the road
..shouldnt they have at least slowed traffic at that area??.. we have extremely stupid public officers in this country..simple things, they manage to screw up to the point of people losing thier lifes…and the passengers of the vehicles that were racing, couldn’t they tell the drivers to slow down??…

Garden-City Boy

The accidents could have been avoided had the police done their job by taken steps to cordon off the the hazardous obstacles, or used warning signs and flairs to alert on-coming traffic. The police should be held responsible and the police chief in the zone needs to be fired for dereliction of duty.

Engr Felix Nnaemeka(MNSE)

Imagine such negligent of duty on the side of Federal Road Safety personnel and others.This is a country where Government has no feeling for the masses.As far as am concerned,there was neglect and non challant attitude by Road Safety Commission.They should be responsive to road safety issues like over load of trucks and not just standing on the road searching for who to extort money from.God help innocent travelers!

Ola

Government should wake up to their resposiblity by erecting street light on major highway in the country. May their soul rest in peace.

ife

The police tried but it amount to nothing, i wish they should atleast put something in place to warn motorist, may be this lives would have been saved.

I am sorry and fed up with avoidable lost of human lives. How long has our nigerian society stopped being a human society? If one talks about ethics and values for our daily living, you look an odd person, unless you follow to say something in support ofimmoral or corruption. I pray God bring us back to a better human society o.

Paul Owoseni

God, please help and deliver us.

Paul Owoseni

it’s a pity that all the Police on the high ways have turn their job to money collection if not they ought to have known that something like that had happened but they will purposely put off their eyes because of the money they want to collect, may God help us.

Victor

Why can’t those that made efforts to remove the pipes from the road put signs so that vehicles come will see before the spot and slow down? They equally contributed to the lost of lives! It is painful and unfortunate. May God grant those lost lives Eternal rest.

Iheanyi

Dapo
Unfortunately, no one will be held liable for this preventable loss of so many lives. Why did the policemen leave the scene when they were unsuccessful with initial retrieval of the pipes? Who did they hand over the responsibility to when they were leaving? Why was there no warning indicators? How could they have slept at night knowing that pipes on highway is a disaster waiting to happen? In sane countries, ministers would be sacked for such calamity. Shame on Nigeria? Only God knows who the next victim of the failed state would be….. Only Time will tell.

Agreed brother>>and may i add:
All the wealthy Alhajiu owners of trucks and trailers in desperate state and need of repair with mostly unqualified drivers should be taken to task and no mercy should be given. Bribing officials to allow there murderous metal monsters to continue on there journeys many times with out proper lights, brake lights etc causes death and destruction. I lost a very dear friend very close to where this happened when he drove in to the back of a trailer with no rear lights. The trailer drove off in to night. Do your self a favor and check out the trailers at night leaving Lagos..over laden many with out proper lights, worn tires and shocks. The list is endless as is the destruction these murderers are heaving.
This accident was totally preventable. There is no excuse here. The ones in charge of the various agencies should be brought to book.
Stop begging God to help..He gave us the brains and the brawn to do it. Stop hiding your talents under the bed and then asking him for help…..

ekee

its so bad alot ofnpeople had to die to someone else carelessness………..i really feel so bad …may God protect us all

Ay flavour

It was a sad news,but I believed that someday Nigeria will come back to life.

Goke Ade

I quite agree with Dapo, our Policemen do not have a good sense of judgement. Why would they leave that spot that night , knowing well it is a death trap. Anyone would have run into those pipes . Thank God for what Gov. Fashola is doing making sure that street lights works in the state even if PHCN is not performing. Imagine if the Police was there to do there job even if fire was setup there just to catch the attention of road users this would have helped to save the lives of those who died in the accident.
I feel this should be investigated and those Policemen should be shown the way out, if you call for help to remove the pipe and help doesn’t come is that enough to leave. If those in position of authority does not look into incidents like this there would be future occurrence and who knows who the next victim would be ? Please sir’s & ma’s use your good office to look into this matter you do not know if God has put you for a time such as this. God bless Nigeria!

Yolosokedil

Some people are ignorant here.The police are already overwhelmed.Robbery,boko haram,kidnapping,even marine police as they are called and killed daily in bayelsa.It is the primary duty of road safety personnel and that is the reason they are called ‘road safety corps’.But now what do u find arresting people for seat belt,fire extinguiser that are less dangerous.They are now as i am typing collecting 200 naira from buses across the country for raising up their booth a bit which is equally less dangerous.

Ajani Chinemere

The fact remains that I really don’t know what is going on in this our country. A country that does’t value life, a country that any body can commit any evil and get away with it, a country which their constitutions is nothing but a poem not Law. A country once you are rich and also have father in Abraham you are automatically above the law. Only the poor are guilty of the law. Even if the trailer driver were to be arrested b/cos of his God’s father influence, he will go free. May God help us.

Afolabi

God save us 4rm dis.

dollar

imagine! dis is so sad. we did not demand cash from dis govt but a competent govt, d kind of govt dat would av provided means of removing such pipes dat thurs night. i call it special response squad. i blame the driver for not stopping to either put a sign or call for help, i blame the port authority for allowing such truck to go out without proper binding. i blame the police for not doing d right thing, i blame the govt but the large portion of the blame should go to the community. many times we expect the govt to do something for us, while we can do the little we can. sometimes last yr there was a petrol tanker that fell and could explode at a slight spark, but the community landlord, men and women came out and forbid any motorist to take that route, although there was huge traffic dat day but no life was lost, not even a minor injury until the authority came and remove the tanker.
How would u see such danger and ignore, who did they call?
May the soul of the dead rest in perfect peace and i wish d injured quick recovery.

dee

Nigeria is a failed nation chiefly because we Nigerians have no love for ourselves. WE exhibit so much in the acts of sheer wickedness among ourselves. FRSC should be dissolved henceforth and the police made to act in their role which is a duplication in itself. FRSC would rather cash in on number plates and drivers licence, hang around nooks and corners of the metropolis looking out for bribes from arresting people for not wearing seat belts when crucial issues bordering on safety are begging for attention on our highways.It is so sad that an institution like that exists and we can have this magnitude of negligence resulting in so much waste of human lives.

seyi

May God help us,May there soul rest in peaces.

Tuneroo

AMEN

Tuneroo

R.I.P Rest in peace and not in peaces ooo

otitokoro

They could ntot remove the pipes b4 d incidence, they can remove them now that precious lives have bn lost.It seems they need human blood for sacrifice. What a shameful country.

JOHNSON OLAIYA ONI

This shows how workable our systems and organisations can be, GOD HAVE MERCY.

hon.arowolo kayode.

May God help us

kayfash

the wreckage is still causing traffic along the way as at this moment.

BOB

police officers should praised for their efforts by trying to avart the accident but their effort is not just enough.

Zico

Its really sad. Evrytin is not about God, we pray to God everyday in dis country but deep down inside us we’re wicked. Countries dat dosent believe in God are better than us.

Eshiet I

i wonder when agencies saddled with the responsibility of maintaining safety on our roads will wake up to the task. these pipes were spotted the night before & they didn’t deem it fit to evacuate them or at least, cordon off the affected portion with reflective materials to avoid such calamity. may God help us.

The Truth Sayer

The nation’s highways have become death traps………Oh God, come and deliver your children from this carnage. Its a pity

Babatunde John

Oh God! What a wastful Nation called Nigeria? Can this happen in a civilised country where citizens are resposible? Those culpable will even bribe their way out. I weep for Nigeria. Who will bring justice to the country and how soon will it happen? My God, enough is enough.

Babatunde John

Oh God! What a wasteful Nation called Nigeria? Can this happen in a civilised country where every citizen is responsible? I weep for Nigeria. Even those culpable will bribe their way out at the end of the day. Who will bring sanity to Nigeria and when will it commence? My God, enough is enough. Please and please God act now for the sake of the poor masses, the oppressed.

Agalabayky

The time has come in our Nation, when people should be heard accountable for their actions. Those responsible for this great lost of lives should be bought to book.

tony

how many people really died? just beating about the bush

Nkemakonam

May their souls rest in peace.

Felix

Why do we continue to behave like animals for God sake? This is avoidable, the system is faulty from A to Z. I wonder why mad people drive on road, where is FRSC ? Where is police ? But u can take N20 on the road without working diligently to safe the lives of tax payers. Where is the presence of Federal Govt ? No street light, shame ! God please move in this nation.

marcus

It’s high time the govt. remove these trailers from our highways and make our railways e
effective.

lawal

@ dapo, i agree with you totally. we have road safety on that road running after commercial buses and goods, collecting bribe. i have challenged them several times. their prymary duty is to avert danger to road users. when the police were leaving the scene who did they hand over to? why was warning sign not put atleast 500m b4 the scene. why was the street light on that express not working? life is cheap in nigeria. no value for life. no body will be purnished. who inspect the loading of this pipe at the port? was the safety condition met?

IFY OBIORA

God have mercy!

Jude

may God almight accept their soul. Wat a great loss of lives

Law.

This is a total irresponsibility and careless neglect from the part of the police that foresaw the pipe on the high way without waiting to make sure it’s been taken off the highway.
Again, the authorities must make sure they lights the highways of this nation.
Life is so precious that even if ones life to be taking by tragic force due to negligence by the authority that swear to protect the people by mere negligence is something all of us should be worried about.

BLESSED MAN

A COUNTRY WITHOUT ELECTRICITY EVEN AT NIGHT, ASSUME WE HAVE 24/7 ELECTRICITY THOSE DRIVERS WOULD HAVE DISCOVERED THE PIPE,

Badmus Akinola Olamide

pls i believe our old n famous Lagos Ibadan express way needs night lighting cos its a major link for all interstate i think the federal govt should rise to dat responsibility

kenny

What our Nigerian police did his on fear b,cos if they we told dat somebody like Depute Gov,Adejoke Adefulore is shering money they will be d first person to be at dat sport of accident. It a very painful issue b,cos i was on d way to my home wen i saw d accident hope dat there reciprocation people i do not know dat there very useless POLICE,FRSC,NEMA, LASMA,etc who are being paid.Nigeria and they always collect bribe at dat express way pls u are d eye of nija! God help innocent.

humanity

Okey Njoku
This is a case of collective irresponsibility. I’ve said it several times and I’ll keep on saying it, and I hope one day God will touch the mind of the government to make the appropriate law; unless truck drivers are made to pay for the lost of lives and property in Nigeria innocent people will continue to die like fowls. The next thing you will hear people saying it’s the will of God. And such statement irritates me because it’s profanning the Name of God.If the police could not lift the pipes, why couldn’t they put signs on the road to warn people. The whole thing looks silly and it’s heart breaking when innocent lives are cut off on circumstance that could have been avoided.

Who is to blame for this incidence?

Dapo
Unfortunately, no one will be held liable for this preventable loss of so many lives. Why did the policemen leave the scene when they were unsuccessful with initial retrieval of the pipes? Who did they hand over the responsibility to when they were leaving? Why was there no warning indicators? How could they have slept at night knowing that pipes on highway is a disaster waiting to happen? In sane countries, ministers would be sacked for such calamity. Shame on Nigeria? Only God knows who the next victim of the failed state would be….. Only Time will tell.

If you sack the minister,what of government that did not provide electricity? can you sack president?

humanity

Who is to blame in this tragedy,is it the police on duty or federal government that failed to provide electricity in the highway? because if you sack the police or punish them,you will as well punish Mr.president and governor by not make electricity available to the country.

humanity

may God help us out of this mess

NdiliMfumu

Certainly, the truck driver whose pipes fell on the roadway is culpable of voluntary manslaughter, as he clearly knew that the pipes had fallen and that they would pose a risk to life and limb, unless timely removed from the roadway. He should be tried, convicted and jailed for a long time, as well as being excluded for life from driving any rig.

The driver’s transport company should face large fines for contributory negligence for having hired and, then, failed to properly train and manage this murderous driver. The company should be made to pay just compensation to the victims and their families/next of kin.

The Lagos State agencies having authority over the managemet of the roadway also have some culpability, here. Why isn’t there any easy way of contacting them and causing them to spring into action in the middle of the night? Where are the emergencies measures/equipment for removing obstacles from the roadway? Where are the police patrols meant to catch errant truckers, to monitor their loads, and to ensure the safety of the State’s important transport arteries? Moreover, talking of road construction, why are large trucks and transports allowed to pass on the highway in the same lanes as passeger cars? Why aren’t there express lanes solely for the cars, and other slower, broader lanes for the trucks?

Some heads should be rolling at the Emergency Management and Transport authorities.

Tim

Had help came when the policemen radioed for assistance, this accidents would have been averted. May God help us in this country.

Alabi Oluwaseun(Caleb University,Imota,Lagos)

This is total wickedness on the part of the driver who drove the vehicle.

jasmine Thedius

This a carefree attitude of those claiming that they are ruling us,How on earth can such pipe be on that road since Thursday night,police had seen it,Latsma had also seen them,why they did not put any signal on that spot,??,the answer is simple,because there is no person to offer bribe,if to catch someone who did not even commit any traffic Offense they will catch such one to make money,this is wickedness on their part,and all those officers that had seen this and work away are all blood guilty,That is my Judgement

chuzzy

This shows that FRSC don’t know their work and they are not useful to the nation

Yinka

What are we talking about here? A pipe fell off on Thursday night and for close to 12hrs FRSC, LASTMA and Police could not arrange for a crane to remove it. The same day on Abeokuta-Sagamu road, multiple accident occured and all that FRSC and TRACE came with was pick-up van while a crane was needed to rescure trapped victims. What kind of country is this?

Spokesperson for the Senate Unity Forum, Senator Kabir Marafa, saying his colleagues passed a vote of confidence in Dr. Bukola Saraki’s senate leadership in order to spite President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress leadership.